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Marco hates the morning rush. Too many people, all tired and impatient, trying to get in their last dose of caffeine before heading into work or class or… wherever they’re headed. He was transferred to this shift after working as a barista at Sealed University’s Magnolia for about two and a half weeks, and he already fucking hates it.
No, he doesn’t want to hear you complain about how early it is.
No, he’s not impressed by the fact that you want ten shots of espresso in your drink.
No, he’s not really all that sorry that you had to repeat your order because you were mumbling the first time. You didn’t ask, but that’s fine.
It’s fine.
With a heavy sigh as the line reaches its end, he glances over at the clock. It’s almost noon. No wonder the hoard has thinned out. Two more hours to go.
“Hey, do you want to take your last break?” A smooth voice, followed by a gentle pat on the shoulder. “I mean, you might as well. I can give you a half hour if you want, too, since you forgot to take one yesterday.”
The one redeeming thing about this whole experience is the fact that he got to meet Sho, if he’s being completely honest. Sho Kasugai is the best manager Marco could’ve ever asked for, and he’s certain that he won’t get this lucky with any other job.
“Yeah, I think I will,” Marco says with a smile, “Thanks for reminding me today.”
“No problem.” Sho nods and moves to take his place at the counter. Marco makes himself a drink -- a medium sized vanilla frappuccino -- before moving out into the store, taking a seat at one of the empty tables in the corner.
And, for a while, there’s peace.
A few more customers trickle in. Marco recognizes some, like that overachieving blond who always goes into the opposite corner to study between lectures. All he knows about Orbert is that he’s some mafia bigwig’s grandson, which is terrifying in its own right, and that he’s definitely not someone to get involved with. How Sho manages to talk to him with such ease is a mystery.
Then there’s George, one of the more well known activists on campus, who bursts in moments later. He’s just… so loud. All the time. He waves at Marco, who meekly waves back, before ordering his drink and taking a seat across from Orbert. Whom of which doesn’t seem to mind at all. A strange combination, sure, but certainly not the strangest thing Marco’s ever seen happen in this building.
“Marco!”
Sho motions over to the clock, which tells him he has five more minutes left. Marco sighs again, but at least he can go back knowing that things will be a bit slower from here on out. He knocks back the rest of his drink, readjusting his clothes before heading back to the register.
Another hour passes without a hitch, and Marco thanks whatever god is out there that summer session is always slow during the day. Just half an hour more, and then he can head home.
Fifteen minutes.
Ten.
The bell on the door rings as a customer walks in, a student that Marco recognizes from his building. Agito, he thinks his name is. Marco always thought it was weird that Agito always wore a jacket and scarf, even now, in this heat.
Agito walks up to the counter with a smile so bright it’s almost blinding. “Hey, there, Marco! Can I just get a plain bagel?”
At that, Marco raises an eyebrow. He’s pretty sure that he’s never introduced himself to Agito before, and he knows that he’s not really the type of person that gets noticed. Then again, he has heard that Agito is the friendly type. Maybe a bit too friendly. “Sure,” he says, shrugging off his thoughts, “Toasted?”
“Nah, as is is fine.”
Marco grabs a bagel from the case and exchanges it for a ten, barely registering as the change he returned is promptly dropped into the tip jar because he swears that Agito’s messenger bag moved . He watches as Agito sits down in the same corner Marco had taken his break in earlier. Agito rips the bagel in two and slips the smaller half into his bag, which squirms a bit before falling still again in his lap. A tiny, clawed hand slips out, but is quickly pushed back in.
Okay. Definitely, one hundred percent weird.
“Barbato!” Marco nearly jumps out of his skin as a harsher voice calls out to him from behind, and he turns to see Nagi, the woman who manages the shift after Sho. “You’re free to go. Good work today, as usual.”
“R-Right!” He hurries into the back to change, grab his things, punch out, and then hurries back out to leave. But, for some reason, he hesitates when passing by that table. It’s not his business, he knows, but his curiosity is just getting the better of him today.
“Um… Agito?” he asks wringing his hands together as he stops to stand next to the table, “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s in your bag?”
“Oh, this?” Agito unclasps the top, and a small, scaled head peeks out over the cloth. “Well, to be honest, I’m not really sure. Himeno, my roommate… she asked me to watch her for the week because she had to go home for some family stuff. I’ve just been saying that she’s a dog or something for now. Isn’t she cute?”
At the word “dog”, the creature huffs, a tiny cloud of smoke floating up from its nostrils. That thing is definitely not a dog.